The Best Grill Tongs of 2023

Whether or not you’re a self-proclaimed pit boss or similar to throwing just a few sizzling canine on the grill from time to time, grill tongs are a should. And an excellent pair of grill tongs, like their kitchen siblings, ought to be sturdy, sturdy, and straightforward to open and shut at a second’s discover—you don’t need to burn dinner since you couldn’t get the dang tongs to unlatch. We got down to take a look at 9 of the preferred and highly-rated grill tongs via a trial by hearth, charcoal, fuel, and an entire lotta meat (although, clearly, you need to use these for grilling greens, too). 

The Winners, at a Look

These tongs shone from the beginning, expertly flipping and maneuvering sizzling canine and kabobs. The tapered, oval tong head form gripped with certainty, the rubber-lined sides made the tongs straightforward to carry, they usually had been a cinch to open and shut. 

Whereas these tongs featured extra squared-off heads, they nonetheless gripped and flipped assuredly and had been straightforward to open and shut. 

Like their kitchen sibling, these grill-specific tongs had tapered heads and had been sturdy and durable, flipping all method of meats with ease. In addition they sport a big steel looped tab on the finish (which you push in or pull out to open or shut the tongs) so you possibly can grasp them up in your grill. 

The Assessments

• Flip Scorching Canines Check: We used every pair of tongs to flip and maneuver two sizzling canine on a conveyable fuel grill. 
• Flip Kabobs Check: Utilizing every pair of tongs, we flipped lamb kabobs on a charcoal grill. We additionally used the tongs to take away the meat from the skewers as soon as cooked. 
• Flip Flank Steak Check (Winners-Solely): We used our favourite tongs to flip a 2-pound flank steak on a charcoal grill, noting if the tongs struggled to elevate and flip the lengthy piece of steak. 
• Ease of Use and Cleansing Assessments: All through testing, we famous how straightforward the tongs had been to make use of and clear. 

What We Realized 

Kitchen Tongs vs. Grill Tongs: What’s the Distinction? 

The principle distinction between kitchen tongs and grill tongs is size: kitchen tongs are inclined to land within the 12-inch size vary, whereas grill tongs are upwards of 18 inches lengthy. Longer tongs maintain your hand farther from the grill grate, which is useful in case you’re into high-heat grilling. Some grill tongs additionally function a steel loop on the finish, which has two functions: opening and shutting the tongs and likewise serving as a hook to hold them on the aspect of your grill. Kitchen tongs can generally function silicone-lined ideas for a gentler grip, however you don’t see silicone on the ends of grill tongs as incessantly (maybe since you’re typically coping with larger heats). 

Oval, Tapered Heads with Scalloped Edges Gripped Higher

As in our kitchen tong review, we discovered oval, tapered heads with scalloped edges latched onto meals higher than boxier or unorthodox-shaped heads. This was particularly evident with the OXO tongs, each of which securely gripped slippery sizzling canine, heavy kabobs, and floppy flank steak. Conversely, tongs with squared-off heads, just like the Grillhogs, didn’t fairly as deftly pinch and maintain onto no matter they had been greedy. Additionally, don’t fiddle with total tong form—scissor tongs, like those from Shark, couldn’t compete with the usual tong silhouette. Not solely did they mangle a sizzling canine once we tried to flip it, however they had been additionally tiring to make use of because you needed to have your hand open and taut to maintain them ajar—it was a little bit of a exercise with solely poor outcomes to point out for it. 

In Basic, Longer Tongs Have been Higher 

As we talked about earlier, grill tongs are distinguished by their size. Our most well-liked candy spot was round 16 inches—any longer and also you’ll really feel like a toucan with out management of your beak. We did discover it fascinating that two tongs we examined had been approach below 16 inches—one of many tongs within the Mountain Grillers set, which was 12 inches, and the Pit Barrel Cooker Co Ultimate Tongs, which had been a mere 10 inches (!!). Whereas we really fairly preferred the Pit Barrel tongs—they had been sturdy, straightforward to open and shut, and comfy to grip—they weren’t actually what we had been in search of in an all-purpose pair of grill tongs. We predict they’d be higher suited as an accompanying pair for smaller flips, like grilled rooster wings, or for serving. 

Medium-Weight Tongs Have been the Better of Each Worlds

If you’re flipping a heavy piece of meat, the very last thing you need is a heavy set of tongs additional weighing down your hand and wrist. We discovered tongs within the 8-to-9-ounce vary (just like the OXO and Broil King tongs) hit the candy spot when it got here to sturdiness and agility; they had been straightforward to maneuver however might additionally sort out flipping unwieldy, heavy issues like flank steak or a rack of ribs. Any heavier, just like the 14-ounce Weber tongs, they usually had been tough to maneuver; any lighter, just like the 5.7-ounce Mountain Griller massive tongs, and we weren’t assured they might elevate heavy meats with out scissoring below the pressure. 

Slim, Rubber-Lined Tongs Have been the Best to Grip

For such a comparatively easy cooking utensil, tongs are available in a stunning number of supplies and shapes. Our recommendation? Stick with the fundamentals: stainless-steel tongs with some sort of rubber grip for added consolation and safety. Whereas fancy wooden-trimmed tongs, just like the Grillhogs, seemed good, they weren’t as snug to carry (they had been fairly cumbersome). Plus, you possibly can’t toss them within the dishwasher—belief us, it’s not very enjoyable making an attempt handy scrub off burnt-on barbecue sauce. We additionally had points with arduous plastic-lined tongs, just like the Weber, which had been slippery and hulking. 

We Appreciated Tongs that Have been Straightforward to Open and Shut

Nicely, duh, you may suppose—however we had been shocked to seek out that not all tongs had been a easy pull-of-the-spring away from opening. As an alternative, some grill tongs tried to get, uh, artistic with their opening and shutting mechanisms. Take the Weber tongs, as an illustration: as a substitute of pushing or pulling the locking spring up or down, you needed to shove it to 1 aspect or the opposite, which proved tough. Then, there have been the Rosle tongs, which required an advanced dance of flipping the tongs up or down and pushing on one aspect to open and shut them—a pleasant thought in principle, however in observe, we spent numerous time frantically swinging the tongs round whereas our timer was going off and the kabobs threatened to overcook. Stick with the easy push/pull spring, and even higher, get one with rubber on it—the steel ones bit into our palms.

The Standards: What to Search for In a Pair of Grill Tongs

Nice grill tongs ought to be round 16 inches lengthy, holding your hand a secure distance from the grill grate. They need to ideally have oval-shaped heads with scalloped edges and weigh in round eight to 9 ounces—agile, however nonetheless sturdy. We most well-liked tongs that had been straightforward to open and shut (none of that “swing the tong up or all the way down to open and shut it” nonsense), and that featured rubber grips on the edges. 

What we preferred: Okay, these aren’t *technically* grill tongs, however they met all the standards for them even when the phrase “grill” isn’t within the identify: they’re lengthy, sturdy, and opened and closed rapidly, guaranteeing no burnt meals ever (except you’re in search of char, clearly). We liked the rubber on the edges, which made them straightforward and comfy to know, and the tapered heads, which gripped and flipped with out a hitch. 

What we didn’t like: These tongs don’t function a hook on the top (although there’s a small gap within the spring latch), so you possibly can’t grasp them up alongside your grill brush.

Worth at time of publish: $18.

Key Specs

• Size: 15 7/8 inches
• Weight: 8.7 ounces
• Supplies: Stainless-steel, rubber
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

What we preferred: This $10 pair of tongs impressed us; they featured a triangular, plastic, push/pull spring which made for straightforward opening and shutting, and although that they had extra squared-off heads, they nonetheless sported scalloped edges that gripped onto sizzling canine and kabobs assuredly. They had been additionally fairly sturdy, even when tackling a floppy piece of flank steak. 

What we didn’t like: These tongs, just like the OXO Locking Tongs, can’t be hung up. The squared-off head edges additionally weren’t fairly as nimble and grippy as oval-shaped ones, however nonetheless carried out properly. 

Worth at time of publish: $10.

Key Specs 

• Size: 16 inches
• Weight: 8 ounces
• Supplies: Stainless-steel, rubber
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

What we preferred: Should you’re deadset on hanging up your tongs, these are the tongs for you. Not solely do they function a big steel loop on the top, however they had been additionally the right size, and the scalloped, oval heads securely gripped meals. Oh, they usually have a built-in bottle opener if you wish to pop a chilly brewski while tending the grill.  

What we didn’t like: We discovered the steel loop on the spring a wee bit harder to push in and pull out (and never fairly as snug to push because the rubber-lined one on the opposite OXO tongs). 

Worth at time of publish: $17.

Key Specs 

• Size: 16 inches
• Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Supplies: Stainless-steel, rubber
• Care: Dishwasher-safe

The Competitors 

• Rosle Stainless Steel Lock and Release Click Tongs: Whereas these tongs had been good at gripping and flipping, they had been a ache to open and shut: you needed to swing the tongs up or all the way down to activate the spring. This resulted in some frantic moments when we have to flip the kabobs however the tongs wouldn’t open. To not point out they’re $47, which is fairly dear for a pair of tongs. 
• Weber Grill Tongs: With cumbersome plastic working up the edges, these tongs had been too massive and unwieldy. They had been additionally the heaviest tongs we examined, at 14 ounces. 
• Mountain Grillers Grill Tongs for Cooking BBQ – 12 & 16″: Whereas this set comes with two different-sized tongs, neither was significantly good. The bigger tongs had been flimsy, and the smaller tongs’ rubber grip was flopping out upon arrival. 
• Pit Barrel Cooker Co Ultimate Tongs: We really fairly preferred these tongs—they had been exact, good at gripping, and had a pleasant weight. The draw back: they’re a mere 10 inches lengthy—that is shorter than most kitchen tongs! Whereas they could make an excellent secondary pair of grilling tongs for flipping smaller issues, we wouldn’t seize them as our solely pair. 
• GRILLHOGS 16-Inch Barbecue Tongs: Whereas the tongs’ wood-rimmed handles seemed good, they had been cumbersome and tough to maneuver—to not point out they’re not dishwasher-safe. We additionally discovered the massive, squared-off heads not significantly good at greedy roly poly gadgets, like sizzling canine. 
• Shark BBQ Grill Tongs: Scissor-style tongs proved to be tough on the fingers (it’s a must to maintain your hand prolonged to maintain them open). In addition they weren’t very nimble—we had a sizzling canine go down in items once we tried to flip it. 

FAQs

What’s the distinction between kitchen tongs and grill tongs?

Whereas comparable in numerous methods, grill tongs are typically longer than kitchen tongs (12 inches versus 16 inches). That stated, our favourite grill tongs shared the identical options as our favourite kitchen tongs: tapered, oval heads with scalloped edges and a sturdy however nimble physique. 

Are silicone tongs secure for grilling?

Whereas not one of the grill tongs we examined had silicone-lined heads, we did take a look at kitchen tongs with this function and located they had been completely secure to make use of with warmth.